Echinodorus bleherae

Amazon sword plant

Amazon swordplant Echinodorus bleherae was discovered in 1961 in the location called Peixe Boi, near Belèm, state Parà, by Amanda Flora Hilda Bleher and her 4 children, and was later described by Karel Rataj from Czech Republic in her honor. This undemanding and beautiful plant is one of the most popular in the aquarium hobby. But do actually Amazon swords come from the Rio Amazonas itself?

Submitted by: Natasha Khardina
Approved by: Marcelo Notare

GPS: -2.8041179, -52.0236015

Geographical region: South America
Drainage Basin: Amazon
River catchment
Water body type: Rio
Water body name: Xingu
Water body part
Water body course: Lower course
Water body: tributary of: Rio
Tributary name: Amazon

Type locality: Peixe Boi, near Belèm, Parà State, Brazil 1961
Conservation status/IUCN Red List: Extinct in the Wild (EW)
Listed in CITES: No

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Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type: Fresh water
Water color: Clear water
Water transparency: High
Concentration of sediments: Low
Water temperature: 22-28 °C
Water flow/curent: Slow

Chemical parameters

pH: 6.5-7.5
Conductivity
GH: 0 - 30° mg/l
KH
Dissolved Oxygen

Phytology

Plant form

Submersed

Plant type

Rosulate

Plant size

60 cm

Plant growth rate

Fast

Plant light demand

Medium

CO2

Medium

Aquarium equipment

Echinodorus bleherae developes well even in poorly illuminated aquariums, growing towards the light.

Plant care

By using the nutritious bottom Echinodorus bleherae will flourish well and need regular pruning.

Water care

Suitable for aquarium cultivation, grows fast and adapts well to different environmental conditions.

Comment by the expert

Echinodorus bleherae is a large sword plant that requires space. In the submerse form its leaves are 3-6 cm wide, up to 60 cm long and older plants can have up to 50 leaves! For good root development the substrate height should be no less then 10 cm. In the shops is mostly offered the emerse form of Echinodorus bleherae with longer leaf stalks and shorter leaf blades.
This species belongs to the Echinodorus group that in Nature grow submersed for a long time of the year. The emerse leaves and flower stalks develop during the low-water season. According to Ch. Kasselmann, bleherae is the variety of Echinodorus grisebachii.